Media Release
Chicago, March 30: District 1-A, Mother District of Lionism held its District Convention at the Renaissance Chicago North Shore Hotel in Northbrook this weekend. There were more than 500 attendees from all over Chicagoland for three days events. International Director Beverly Stebbins from Arlington, Texas was the International guest for this event.
Beverly Stebbins congratulating Austin Prabhu after awarding International President's Medal.
First Plenary Session started on Friday with Hospitality Rooms. Saturday morning there were three seminars - one on MERLOW team, second one was on Lions Open University and third one was on Are You Smarter Than PDG? District 1-A Leadership Chairmperson Austin Prabhu held Lions Open University session and proved his case by saying, "Nothing is impossible in life!" He showed the video of Cara Dunn - a visually impaired woman who lost her eyesight when she was a toddler and nothing stopped her ever since. She took part in bicycle racing, skiing and became the first visually impaired lawyer from University of California, Los Angeles. She took part in several Special Olympics and won silver and gold medals. Attendees were touched with her video and many wept!
During luncheon there were Melvin Jones Fellow presentations by International Guest Director Beverly Stebbins. Austin Prabhu was awarded with Seven Diamond Progressive Melvin Jones Award and praised for his dedication and hard work in promoting lionism in District 1-A. He is the one who started Lions Open University in Chicago in 2004. This concept of training leaders have been spread all over the US now. He was also instrumental in initiating a program - Vision First to provide eyeglasses to needy school children in Chicagoland. This program was also started in 2004 when Austin Prabhu was the District Governor of Mother District of Lionism in Chicago and ever since more than 40,000 school children were provided with free eye exam and eyeglasses.
In the evening District 1-A lions celebrated District Banquet where Beverly Stebbins gave a key note speech. She praised District 1-A where lionism took place 93 years ago. She said that this district produced many great leaders and also many new programs to help the needy people in their communities. After her speech she recognized some District Leaders. Austin Prabhu was awarded with International President's Medal by International President Al Brandel from New York in honor of his exemplary performance during Lions Clubs International's Sight First II program as one of 185 Sector Coordinators worldwide which produced more than $200 million in three years of its campaign.
Austin Prabhu receiving Seven Diamond Progressive Melvin Jones Award from Beverly Stebbins. Next to him is District Governor Bob Zavorka
On Sunday, March 29 District Convention concluded and Ray Jachim got elected as the District Governor for 2009-2010 for District 1-A. Governor Elect Ray Jachim appointed Austin Prabhu as his District Cabinet Secretary/Treasurer for District 1-A.